“Let me get this right.” Droigheann leaned against the Evertree. “The damn Lich of all people is feeling tired. And everyone else had nightmares.” Kyle nodded. Irena pursed her lips. “I was resting, but my rest doesn’t happen in this plane of existence, so perhaps that is why me and you,” She glanced at Droigheann, “haven’t been affected.” The Demon of the Nightbloom let out a sigh. “Perhaps.” He admitted. “What about the Vampire?” He then asked. “She is, besides me, the strongest being on this plateau. Has she been affected?” Kyle averted his gaze. “I don’t know.” He wanted to avoid her for as long as he could. “I’ll go and ask.” Irena suggested. “Thanks.” The young man smiled. As soon as the Priestess was gone, Droigheann chuckled. “You really are a lucky fool, human.” He smirked. “A lucky fool who has started acting smarter.” He then added. Kyle rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” He brushed his hair back. “I need to know why everyone on the plateau had bad dreams and nightmares.”
Frozen under the Greater Being’s intense gaze, Kyle held his breath. His heart raced, he could hear his own heartbeats. Why were they so loud?He didn’t dare meet the Greater Being’s gaze. He didn’t have a death wish after all. He endured the Greater Being’s gaze for a few more seconds, until it finally turned its gaze away.The young summoner breathed out a sigh of relief as he stumbled back with shaky legs and sat on the nearest pew. “I think,” He spoke just loudly enough so everyone’s attention would be on him. “It’s not hostile.”Murmurs spread throughout the grand hall. Kyle raised his hand to stop them. “Let’s sit and wait,” He spoke, trying his best to keep his voice calm. He could still see the Greater Being from where he was sitting. “If it wanted to harm us, it could have done so already. So, sit down, try to remain calm, and wait it
By the time he returned to the Grand Hall, Irena had organised people into proper groups and sent them off to check up on anyone unaccounted for.“As far as we know, the biggest injury is a dwarf’s broken leg.” She explained to Kyle. “The elven healers are taking care of him now.”“Good.” The young man pressed his palm against his forehead. “I think I’ll go and rest.” He glanced out the window. The sun had set a long while ago. “If anything happens, and I mean anything at all, wake me up, alright?”“Of course, Summoner.” Irena hesitated. “I should inform you of something, then.” She added, causing the young man to stop mid motion. “The Greater Being’s descent completely shattered all of the protective spells I had placed on the plateau. I arranged for proper patrol routes until I can recast all of the spells.”Kyle narrowed his eyes. “So
“Well then,” Azazel folded his two pairs of wings, and then smiled. “That makes things much easier.” He gestured Kyle to come closer.The young summoner hesitated. He didn’t really want to approach the angel anymore. In fact, if it were an option, he would have put a hell of a lot more distance between them.Seeing the Angel finally relax his posture, Droigheann sheathed his blade, and took off his helmet. He then glanced at Kyle and nodded. The young man sighed inwardly and approached the Fallen Angel.“So this is the fabled Necronomicon.” Azazel leaned down to take a closer look at the book, deliberately avoiding touching it. “Much more modest than I expected.” He muttered, then straightened his back. “Have you read it, Mortal?”Kyle quickly took a few steps back. “I did. All of it.” He admitted. “What do you need from it?”The Fallen Angel’s lips curl
The Evertree’s trunk let out a soft, golden shine from the veins of flame within it. It was enough to illuminate this little courtyard. It’s leaves had a silver hue to them. It was a beautiful sight to behold, with the backdrop of the night sky.Had the stars not been hidden away behind the thick layer of dark storm clouds, the view would have been even more breath taking.“Well?” He asked, keeping Vis in his sight.The Vampire approached the Evertree. Her gaze lingered on its trunk as she clenched her fists.“The Empire was vast.” She finally spoke, forcing the words out. It was challenging for her to speak about this. She wasn’t very good at hiding how difficult it was. “It ruled the entirety of the known world, stretching beyond the wall of fog that exists now.”“It’s citizen were rich. Even the poorest could put food on the table without worry. The
He narrowed his eyes. Was the Fallen Angel alluding to what he thought he was?“Do you mean it’s still ongoing?” Droigheann asked. The Demon of the Nightbloom didn’t seem bothered about that notion, nor did he seem to enjoy the thought of it. “Like… a time loop?”Azazel shook his head. “I do not believe it is a loop.” He pressed his lips together. “What happens when you take time out of the equation?” He glanced at the young summoner, who scowled. “What do you mean?”“Right now.” Azazel pointed at the ground. “If you were to describe this particular event, how would you go about it?”Kyle hesitated. “We’re discussing something?” He asked. He then realised what the Angel meant. “Oh, you mean… We’re in the courtyard. At…” He shot a glance at the sky. “Probably midnight?”Droigheann’
“Yeah, no.” Kyle shook his head as the Dark Amber whirled around him. “I don’t think this will work.” Like a storm made of shattered pieces of crystal, the Dark Amber blocked his view, and also his motions. “In fact, I can clearly see it’s not working, since I’m still affected by time!” He protested.“Silence.” The Fallen Angel’s words were as sharp as the pieces of dark amber whirling around the young man. “Do not distract me, mortal.”Kyle pouted but remained silent otherwise. Glancing at Droigheann, his shoulders dropped. The Demon of the Nightbloom clearly was not going to be of any help to him. He seemed just as absorbed in the experiment as the Fallen Angel.Minutes rolled by, and eventually, the whirlwind of dark amber shards reformed into one larger piece of amber before melting back into his skin, turning back into the tattoo. “As I thought,” Azazel muttered.
“Let’s go.” Kyle stood before the Fallen Angel and fixed his cloak. “It’s a bit past dawn already. The sooner we go meet this person, the better.”Azazel narrowed his eyes. His gaze lingered on Droigheann, who remained seated by the door. “What about you, Demon? Are you coming?”Droigheann let out a sigh and shook his head. “No, the human’s power, and his survival is bound to the Evertree. I must remain to protect it.” He scowled and glared at the Fallen Angel. “Protect him, angel. If anything-““You need not threaten me, Demon.” Azazel stood up and raised his chin with pride. “The mortal will survive all of this. He must, so we can reach Necron. Is that good enough reason for you to believe me?”Droigheann smirked. “For now.”Azazel let out a bellowing laughter. “Let us go then!” He declared. He placed his left hand on Kyle